Around the SWAC

Houzah honored for third year in a row

Mississippi Valley State University linebacker Terry Houzah has been named SWAC Defensive Player of the Year
Award for the third consecutive season.

The 6-3, 235 lb. senior from Rolling Fork, Miss. led the SWAC in tackles with 130 this season. Houzah collected 111
tackles his junior season and 112 tackles his sophomore season. (He played his freshman season at MVSU as a full back
before making the transition to linebacker his sophomore season.)

The only player in conference history decorated more often than Houzah is current Tennessee Oilers quarterback and
former Alcorn State signal caller (1991-94) Steve McNair, who was a four-time Offensive Player of the Year.

Former Alabama State linebacker Eddie Robinson, Jr., won the Defensive of the Year honors back-to-back in 1990 and
91.

"Houzah really deserves this honor," said MVSU coach Larry Dorsey, a former defensive back with the Seattle Seahawks
and New Orleans Saints. "He worked hard and played even when things were bad. That is an indication of the type of
person he is. Now that his career at Valley is complete, he can make the transition to the NFL."

MVSU finished the season with a 1-10 overall record and a 1-7 mark in the SWAC.

Since 1980, other former SWAC Defensive Player of the Year winners who have played in the National Football League
include: Michael Strahan, New York Giants, defensive tackle (Texas Southern, 1992) and Darion Conner, Atlanta
Falcons, linebacker (Jackson State, 1989).

The SWAC's Offensive Player of the Year is Jackson State wide receiver Sylvester Morris from New Orleans, La.

Morris set a new JSU single-season record with his 62 receptions for 1,258 yards and 17 touchdowns.

"Its nothing but God blessing me," said Morris. "My goal is to always get better and I am aiming to do better things next
season."

Prairie View's Deontay Wilson is the SWAC's Freshman of the Year.

Wilson, a 5-9, wide receiver from Miami, Fla., finished No. 6 in the SWAC in receiving with 45 catches for 693 yards
and three touchdowns.

Alcorn State's Damon Ford is the SWAC's Newcomer of the Year. The red-shirt freshman quarterback, a 6-4 native of
Dallas, Texas, finished fourth in the conference in passing completing 124 of 268 passes for 2,164 yards and 18
touchdowns.

Texas Southern's Joey Jamison, a 5-9 junior from Jacksonville, Fla., was named the conference's Kick Returner of the
Year. Jamison returned 33 punts for 505 yards, with a 15.3 average and 11 kickoffs for 399 yards a 36.3 average.

Southern University head coach Pete Richardson was named the SWAC's Coach of the Year. Richardson led the
Jaguars to back to back conference titles this season and a Heritage Bowl berth.

The All-SWAC first team offense includes tight end Johnny Huggins from Alabama State, who caught 36 passes for
506 yards and six touchdowns. His teammate Damon Hodge earned a receiver spot on first team. Hodge led the SWAC
in catches with 77 for 929 yards and eight touchdowns while Morris was named to the other receiver spot.

Jackson State's Mark Washington earned first-team quarterback and finished the season 134 of 257 for 2,232 yards and
a league high 26 touchdowns with only nine interceptions. His teammate Destry Wright earned one running back spot with
is 267 carries for a league leading 1,528 yards. Alcorn State's Rodney Thomas earned the other running back spot with
271 carries and 1,286 yards and a 128.6 yards per game average.

The first-team offensive line includes three returners from last season's first-team squad in Southern's Chris Williams and
center Brett Clark along with Arkansas-Pine Bluffs, Terrance Beadles. Newcomers David Mason of Texas Southern and
Jackson State's Tony Blackshear round out the first-team offensive line.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff's Richard Pena, who was 32 of 39 PATs and 10 of 14 on field goals for a total of 62 points, is the
first-team place-kicker.

* These players won first-team All-SWAC honors last season
** These players won second-team All-SWAC honors last season

The All-SWAC team is voted by the SWAC head coaches, Sports Information Directors and three media representatives
from each school, that covers each team on a regular basis.

NOTES:

ALABAMA STATE: Tyrone Rodgers, the 6-5, 230 lb. senior linebacker from Waugh, Ala., was named the SWAC's
Defensive Player of the Week for his 12 tackle, two sacks for minus 19 yards and three tackles for 20 yards in a loss
against SIAC champion Tuskegee. The Hornets defeated the Tigers 27-7 in the Turkey Day Classic. ASU amassed 443
yards in total offense and held Tuskegee to 65 yards passing and 172 yards rushing. The Hornets end the season with a
5-6 overall and 3-5 in the SWAC under first year head coach Ron Dickerson.

GRAMBLING STATE: Tigers first year head coach Doug Williams finished the season with a 5-6 overall record and
4-4 in the SWAC. GSU jumped out to a 14-3 halftime lead vs. Southern at the Bayou Classic after wide receiver Scotty
Anderson caught two touchdown passed from quarterback Lionel Haynes of 44 and 65 yards. However, SU outscored
GSU 23-0 in the second half. GSU finished the game with 472 total yards in offense. The Tigers finished last season under
legendary Eddie Robinson 3-8 overall and 2-6 in SWAC.

SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY: Sam George, the 5-8, senior quarterback from Opelousas, La., was named the
SWAC's Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Jaguars' 26-14 win over Grambling in the Bayou
Classic. George rallied the Jaguars form a 14-3 halftime deficit by throwing second half touchdowns of 65, 44 and 43
yards. He finished the game 18 of 36 for 274 yards and was named the Bayou Classic MVP. The Classic drew 60,986
fans. Kicker Justin Mattingly was named the SWAC's Special Teams Player of the Week. Mattingly kicked field goals of
37and 32 yards. He also substituted for injured punter Matt Bushart and averaged 42.4 yard per kick after seven punts
for 297 yards. His longest was 59 yards. The Jaguars won its second straight SWAC title by going undefeated in SWAC
play (8-0) for the second consecutive season. Southern will take on Bethune-Cookman in the McDonald's Heritage Bowl
in the Georgia Dome, in Atlanta on Dec. 26. The game will be televised live on NBC. At 12:30 p.m.(ET).